East Zone Storms into Duleep Trophy Final with Dominant Win Over Central Zone
BENGALURU: East Zone has punched its ticket to the final of the Duleep Trophy after securing a clinical four-wicket victory over Central Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) grounds on Tuesday. Led by Ishan Kishan, East Zone wrapped up the contest inside three days, marking their second consecutive victory with such efficiency.
East Zone’s Path to Victory
Chasing a target of 159, East Zone relied on a mature performance from the 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and a steady hand from skipper Ishan Kishan.
Sooryavanshi, who has been the focal point of attention throughout the tournament, displayed a calculated shift in his batting strategy. After a cautious start, the young Bihar talent dismantled Central Zone pacer Yash Thakur in the 14th over, striking three boundaries and a six. Although he eventually fell for 40—caught by skipper Rajat Patidar—his contribution proved pivotal.
Despite a mid-innings wobble where slow left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey claimed four quick wickets (Abhimanyu Easwaran, Virat Singh, Kumar Kushagra, and Anukul Roy), Ishan Kishan remained unfazed. The skipper steered his side to victory with an unbeaten 39, ensuring East Zone cruised into the summit clash with a day to spare.
Earlier in the day, the Central Zone batting lineup collapsed under pressure. Resuming at 45/3, they lost their final seven wickets in a single morning session. Mukesh Kumar was the standout performer with the ball, claiming 4/44, well-supported by Mohammed Shami’s 3/56.
North Zone Fights to Stay Afloat
In the second semifinal being held at an adjacent pitch, North Zone faced a grueling battle against South Zone. After South stretched their first-innings lead to 117, North found themselves precariously placed at 256/7 by the close of play.
North Zone’s resilience was anchored by Delhi duo Sanat Sangwan (76) and Ayush Doseja (52), who provided a solid foundation. However, the momentum shifted after tea as South Zone’s bowlers struck repeatedly, taking five wickets in just 10 overs. North Zone now holds a lead of 139 runs, with an unbeaten 47-run partnership between Nishant Sindhu and Anshul Kamboj keeping their hopes alive heading into the final day.
South Zone’s performance was highlighted by Tilak Varma, who remained unbeaten on 116 in their first-innings total of 312.
Brief Scores:
- Central Zone vs. East Zone: Central 266 & 158 (Aman Mokhade 41; Mukesh Kumar 4-44, Mohammed Shami 3-56) lost to East 266 & 162/6 (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 40, Ishan Kishan 39 n.o.; Harsh Dubey 4-53) by four wickets.
- North Zone vs. South Zone: North 195 & 256/7 (Sanat Sangwan 76, Ayush Doseja 52; MD Nidheesh 2-47) vs. South 312 (Tilak Varma 116 n.o.; Gurnoor Brar 4-88).
